Best Art Supplies for Kids

You could go crazy filling your cupboards, closets, and rooms with craft supplies (I speak from experience here!) but you can really make do with most of the items listed here. Note that items at the beginning of each list are more basic than the others. My favorite brands are in parenthesis.

About three weeks ago I asked my Facebook friends to consider a list of essential toddler art materials, and I received some wonderful responses and additions to the list. Thank you to Linda, Di, Miranda, Sally, and Tina for sharing your thoughts with me.

You can encourage creativity in your child by providing time and space for making art, along with the right materials. Try to set aside interruption-free time for drawing, in a mess-proof zone - nothing squashes creativity faster than a constant refrain of 'don't make a mess!'.

If your child enjoys art projects, it's likely that you have a stash of crayons, markers, paints and brushes somewhere in your home. Although these kids' art supplies help to foster creativity and imagination, they often come at the expense of our environment.